


Night of the Insomniacs

by alexcat



Series: After the World Ends [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 21:52:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15010199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat
Summary: Much drinking and bad gambling. And a little romance.





	Night of the Insomniacs

Night of the Insomniacs

Part 7 

Steve and Tony were lying in bed. Neither was asleep yet though it was past midnight. Sleeplessness seemed to plague almost all of those who had fought in the war with Thanos. Steve had nightmares, dreams that took him to his distant past, to fighting in WWII, to that last ride into the ice. Tony’s were technological. His suit failed him and he was plunging, always plunging downward.

“Why don’t we give this up and go find something to eat or run or something,” Steve said after Tony had turned over for the tenth time in as many minutes. 

“We could do the something,” Tony said without much conviction. 

“We can do that after the other things. We do seem to find time and energy for that.” 

“It brings forgetfulness for a few minutes,” Tony said. “And I do love you a little, too.”

Steve nodded. 

They got up and dressed in sweats. They went out for a run. Mostly Steve ran and Tony walked and jogged and talked to F.R.I.D.A.Y. about technical things that Steve understood well enough but was not terribly interested in. 

By the time they finished, both were hungry. Tony was not a big eater but the super soldier serum made Steve hungry all the time. They raided the kitchen in the mess hall and found some leftovers from last night’s dinner. Tony made a mean drink but couldn’t cook water so they ate cold roasted chicken sandwiches. 

“You know, I’d get roaring drunk and stay that way a month if it would help,” Tony said while he nibbled chips and wondered where the nearest burger place was. 

“I’d get drunk, too, if I could! I guess we’re just stuck trying to – what? Fix a broken world? Turn back time? What the hell _are_ we doing?”

“Wading through molasses, I think is the term you’re looking for.” 

“Have you heard from Wong?” 

“He actually called me. He said he is convinced that time is the key to the whole thing. I am sort of convinced of that as well. I don’t think he knows a lot more than I do at this point, though.”

“Maybe Rocket or Thor know more about the stones. I’ll ask them.”

“Ask them what?” Thor came into the nearly empty mess hall. “Is there any food here? I am still hungry. These meals of green stuff are not enough. An Asgardian needs meat and plenty of it.”

“You can check out what’s in the fridge,” Tony said.

Thor came back in a few minutes with several ham sandwiches on a plate. 

Before they had a chance to get into a conversation or ask Thor about the stones, Rocket came in. “Did you giants leave me any food?” 

Thor pointed toward the kitchen. Rocket went and came back with a triple decker ham sandwich. He set it on a chair, hopped up onto the chair and then put it on the table. He had to stand to eat. “So what are all you losers doing here in the middle of the night?”

“Insomnia,” Tony said. 

Rhodey spoke from the double doorway. “A party? I wasn’t invited.”

“You are now,” Tony said. “Pull up a chair.” 

Rocket pulled a large bottle of bourbon from somewhere and set it on the table. “Can’t have a party without this and maybe some cards or dice.” 

“We need glasses!” Tony went to the kitchen and came back with a handful of old fashioned diner coffee cups. He set them in front of Rocket, who poured everyone a drink. Tony then handed each man a drink, even Steve. 

“What the hell?” Natasha said from the doorway. “This crowd is too much trouble to be left alone in the middle of the night.” She sat down and looked around. “What are we drinking?” 

“Bourbon, right now,” Rocket replied. “I think we might need another bottle soon though.” 

Nat popped into the kitchen and returned with a cup. Rocket poured. “Yep, we need more booze.” 

“There are a couple of bottles in the lab,” Tony said and looked at Rocket, “unless you already nabbed them.”

Rocket held up both hands. “Nope. I got this from someone’s locker.”

“Those things are locked,” Steve said.

“I’m a thief. What can I say?” Rocket shrugged. “So is this how earthlings party? I thought Quill was dull. You guys take the cake.”

“I think we’re all just tired, Rocket,” Nat answered. “Did I hear you say something about cards? I’ll be right back.”

Tony stood. “Me, too. We need cigars if we’re going to play cards.”

“And go find that extra booze,” Rocket shouted after him as he left the room. 

They all finished eating while the others were gone. Rocket poured another round. He poured the last drops in his own cup. 

“If we’re gonna do this, let’s make a toast,” Steve said.

Nat and Tony came back in together, both laughing. Laughter was something there hadn’t bene much of lately. Tony handed out cigars but Rocket and Tony were the only ones who lit up. 

“Come on. We’re toasting!” Thor told the late comers.

When everyone had something in their cup, Tony raised his. “To Strange and Peter Parker!” 

“To Bucky and Sam!” Steve was next. 

“Wanda and Vision!” Nat added. 

“Groot and Quill!” was Rocket’s choice. 

“Loki!” shouted Thor. 

“Nick Fury and Maria Hill!” Rhodes said as they all drank. 

Thor and Rocket emptied their cups. “More!!”

Tony set three bottles on the table: two bourbons, and a scotch. Nat put a bottle of vodka and one of tequila on the table. Rocket grabbed the scotch. He opened it, smelled it and turned the bottle up. He made a face then poured some in his cup and handed the bottle to Natasha. 

They drank scotch. 

Rocket dealt the cards then asked what they could wager. “Not much of value here,” he said. “How about the winner gets a suit like Stark’s?”

“You mean if you’re the winner?” Tony asked. 

“I will be. So?”

“What if I win? What do I get?” Tony asked. “Oh, I know -”

“You get Steve either way,” Nat said, “so that doesn’t count.”

“How about we just play?” Rocket said, but they all knew if he won, he’d pester Stark until he made him a suit. 

They drank and they played. And drank. Even Thor was a little drunk. Steve was enjoying the break from reality with all his friends and their drunken silliness. 

They used spoons and forks as chips and soon Rocket had a huge pile of them in front of him.  
The only other person left in the game was Nat and she had a straight flush. She put in her pile of silverware. 

“Call!”

They drank another round. There was only half a bottle of tequila left. 

Tony was lying on the table next to theirs, singing about bowlegged women. Thor was explaining Asgardian history to a passed out Rhodey, who rallied enough to say, “Really?” every now and again. Steve was watching them all, laughing at Rocket’s antics and keeping an eye on his partner to see he didn’t fall off the table. 

Rocket laid down a straight flush as well. “Read ‘em and weep!” He crowed. 

Nat put down her straight flush. Both were Jack, ten, nine, eight and seven. 

“I declare a tie!” Steve said. 

Tony started singing “Tie a Yellow Ribbon.”

“I’m going to shoot him if he doesn’t stop singing. I thought Quill was lame but you all are. An entire planet of idiots!” Rocket said and passed out cold. 

Nat looked at Steve. “Wanna take me home? I’m cheap, but I’m not free.”

“And piss off the big guy? I think not.” 

She gestured at Tony. “He’s too drunk to be any use.”

“You probably are too.” 

“I drank them all under the table.” Nat poured a little tequila in her glass and in Steve’s. “To those we’ve lost!” She held her glass up to Steve’s then they drank. 

Nat really was more sober than she should have been so she and Steve took each of the others to their rooms and put them to bed. The last one was Tony. Steve picked him up and hauled him over his shoulder. When they got to Steve’s door, Nat kissed his cheek. “Goodnight.” 

“Go see Thor if you really want someone to spend the rest of the night with. Nebula says he’s pliable.” 

She laughed. “For what I want, pliable ain’t the thing.”

“I suspect he can do that, too.”

“Hmmm. I could put ‘fucked a god’ on my resume.”

“If I didn’t love my idiot Tony, I’d spend the night with you.” 

She looked rather coy for a moment. “I know.” And she let herself into her room. 

* 

Half an hour later, someone tapped on Thor’s door. He was still awake and sobering a bit, though he’d not been very drunk anyway. “Come in,” he called, figuring it was Rocket.

Natasha slipped in the door and put her finger to her lips. She crossed the room to Thor and whispered in his ear. “I don’t want to be alone tonight. Do you?” 

He looked confused for second, that was just Thor, then he shook his head. She sat in his lap and wrapped her arms around him. 

*

The orange stone in the tattered gauntlet still twinkled deep inside. It was capable of sentient thought and it was amused at how it manipulated Thanos to bring it so many souls. They were all good, but it could see other, _better_ souls out there. There were one or two on earth. Those were the ones it coveted. Now all it needed was someone to manipulate to get them. It looked around inside itself…


End file.
